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Conversation 269-018

TapeTape 269StartTuesday, August 3, 1971 at 10:19 AMEndTuesday, August 3, 1971 at 10:32 AMTape start time02:02:04Tape end time02:15:05ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Colson, Charles W.Recording deviceOld Executive Office Building
AI Summary

President Nixon and Charles Colson met to discuss the national economy, focusing on rising steel prices, unemployment figures, and the administration's messaging strategy. They addressed the need to manage public perception through economic talking points and discussed strategies to counter political criticism from Senator Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. and other Republicans. Nixon directed Colson to organize a coordinated effort to influence GOP legislators and prepare effective materials for upcoming electoral messaging.

National EconomySteel IndustryLowell P. Weicker, Jr.Public OpinionPolitical StrategyWage and Price Controls
AudioNARA Description

On August 3, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:19 am to 10:32 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 269-018 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 269-18

Date: August 3, 1971
Time: 10:19 am - 10:32 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with Charles W. Colson.

     National economy
          -Strikes

              -Steel price increase
                    -Steel industry
                    -Railroad industry
        -Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.'s statements
              -Possible administration response
                    -Briefing
                    -John B. Connally
                    -Clark MacGregor
              -Administration policy
                    -Democrats' position
              -Congressional recess
              -William B. Saxbe
        -Unknown man
              -Massachusetts
                    -People's Republic of China [PRC]
              -Democrats
        -Retail sales figures
              -June 1971
        -Unemployment
              -Figure
              -Youth
        -Talking points
              -Connally
                    -Patrick J. Buchanan
                    -Paul W. McCracken
                    -Howard H. Baker, Jr. [?]
        -Peter M. Flanigan
        -Wage and price freeze
              -Timing
                    -August
                    -September
                    -Steel strike
                    -Psychology

Polls
        -[Louis P. Harris ?]
        -Presidential approval
              -Iowa and Ohio
        -George H. Gallup

Support for administration

          -Instructions for Colson
                -F. Bradford Morse
                -Weicker
                      -Congressional Republicans
                      -Connally
                -Liberals
                -Jacob K. Javits
     National economy
          -Status
                -Strength
                      -Retail sales
          -Public perception
                -Harris polls
                      -Influences
                            -Politicians
                            -Media
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

Call some police.
Hello?
Yeah.
Hello?
Well, what's new today?
Yeah, except for Steele's price rise.
Well, we didn't expect that.
Yeah.
Yeah, there was a big win one day.
Steele and Railroads, yeah.
Yeah.
One thing I noted, incidentally, on looking at Weicker's blast, is that, remember I said that not only should we keep that thing for about a day, not a whole lot of two days, but not only should we try to freeze the 19 candidates, but I agree with Bob that we have to get rid of Weicker, we have to get rid of him, and I think we've got to return to common sense on those things.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, we have some people that are quite close to him.
Somebody ought to have a talk with him.
Gregor probably doesn't know him yet.
Somebody is probably going to take a look here.
You just don't know who to get yourself a name on the list by taking this line.
He's great.
He's great.
He's done a great job.
Yeah, he's playing an airline right down the line, and also he's just coming out to Dr. Henry to get help from us to eat cold turkey.
Oh, I know that.
Yeah.
We know that.
I know that.
So we're working on it.
We're going to arrest him and put the hell away.
Yeah, you say, look, gee, we're all boys.
Don't blame the Democrats.
Talk about the problem.
And then some of those people up there, of course, are after the income policy.
Unfortunately, they'll be out of here during the month of August.
They're going to give us some time to rest.
Although they may, of course, do it from outside.
Well, I feel they will if they run an intersection such as I have.
In other words, it even affects that stupid sanctuary.
Great.
He actually was a very capable man, a Massachusetts fellow who got that benefit from the hand-held Senate.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But he really showed that, I see.
He replaced him in China probably.
The Democrats were divided.
as long as you get it, that's for sure.
What do retail sales come up with?
They're not out yet.
How was June?
Yeah.
Oh, they can fly in a few, just never know what's going to happen.
Just what are they going to do?
That'll blow up.
Oh, no.
Six maybe.
Well, you see, the difficulty is, remember, they think there's an aberration because that was taken in the first week in June.
You know, when the kids were not allowed to go to jobs.
Yeah.
Yeah, it doesn't mean that there's any change.
I know, yeah, yeah.
Well, that wasn't affected this one, too.
Yeah, yeah.
Let me ask you this, if the Connolly, the talking points, you know, with regard to the strong points of the economy, did Connolly get, is there a page on that or something that I, yeah, send that to Buchanan.
Yeah, I'd like to see what the, I'd like to get that to Buchanan to get a crack at preparing something for me that I want to use for the election.
Jesus, it's terrible.
He just doesn't get anything.
He just can't put it down in any update language, any language or anything.
That's right.
That's good.
Well, if Daddy could also, so God may him honest, you know, just put our side down.
Good one, Patriot.
Good.
Good.
Send over both.
Can't wait.
Great.
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They're the worst pointers of all.
Yeah.
Well, why are you supposed to be doing those if you can't make any headway on them?
Yeah.
decisions.
The month of August is a good month to do it.
It's before you get into the September
can help build up the psychology of marriage and service of change here.
Yeah.
Well, it's a major survey now, and I would hope it should begin to show some turnaround of that part of that field curve.
Well, that's what we should have, you know.
And also, you said, you want to point out these receptions that we have out there in Iowa and Ohio.
Have you done that?
Yeah.
Right.
Well, of course if he doesn't find it, you can't show him anything.
Yeah.
But I don't want any of the herds that are down the list, you know what I mean?
If you can't do the galloping, you can't know what game he's playing.
Those around there.
The school is at 10 George Junior High.
That's what it is.
Well, anyway, if you can get some more psychology like Brad Marshall, that's a good idea.
Have somebody work right on Weicker.
I mean, not just Weicker, but get two, three, or four of those people, call Weicker and say, what do you think, Senator, if you're a Republican, let's get him in.
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